Barwon Health report reveals ongoing Geelong hospital ambulance ramping crisis
Emergency department presentations have surged by 10 per cent at Geelong hospital, as the region’s ambulance ramping crisis deepens.
Geelong hospital has failed to meet its ambulance transfer target for the eighth consecutive year, with a new report highlighting the region’s ongoing ramping crisis.
Barwon Health revealed in its 2024/25 annual report it failed to meet its target for transferring ambulance patients to the emergency department within 40 minutes.
The healthcare provider achieved only 59 per cent of patient transfers within the specified time frame in 2023/24, despite setting a target of 90 per cent.
In the most recent report, Barwon Health stated its aim was a “4 per cent improvement” on the previous year but failed to achieve the comparatively modest target.
The true result was not disclosed in the report, with Barwon Health stating it was simply “not achieved”.
The last time Barwon Health achieved its 90 per cent target was in the 2016/17 financial year, with results worsening overtime.
The figures reflect ongoing ramping issues in the region, with data from earlier this year revealing Geelong was the busiest in the state for emergency calls.
Ramping occurs when paramedics are unable to transfer patients from the ambulance into ED due to overcrowding, often when the hospital is at capacity.
Barwon Health chief executive Frances Diver said transfer improvements weren’t fully captured in the year-end data.
“We’ve got a range of new initiatives going on across the health service to make sure that we can better respond to ambulance arrivals, and we are seeing really great improvements in our ambulance transfer time, particularly in the first quarter,” she said.
She added Barwon Health had introduced several initiatives to reduce ramping, including a 24/7 service operations centre to co-ordinate bed access and a new medical day hub with 19 treatment spaces and a transit lounge.
In addition to ambulance ramping concerns, emergency department presentations surged by more than 10 per cent between 2023/24 and 2024/25 – jumping from 77,037 to 84,774.
Ms Diver attributed the increase to the region’s growing and ageing population.
“To manage demand, Barwon Health has expanded at-home and telehealth services and is working with our urgent care centre at Barwon Health North which is treating significant volumes of patients,” she said.
She noted St John of God and Epworth – two private hospitals in the region – also operated emergency departments which helped ease demand.
The opening of a dedicated children’s emergency area at Geelong hospital in November last year also contributed to the surge in presentations.
“We have definitely seen an increase in the number of children coming to our emergency department because they can now receive tailored care,” Ms Diver said.
The report also revealed ongoing overcrowding pressures at Geelong hospital, with the average admitted patient spending 7 hours and 22 minutes in the emergency department.
Additionally, only 40 per cent of mental health-related ED patients had a stay of less than four hours, falling short of the 65 per cent target.
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Originally published as Barwon Health report reveals ongoing Geelong hospital ambulance ramping crisis
